Business District Seeks Name Worthy of Ape Man

The Tarzana Business Improvement District is inviting creative Tarzan fans to give the district a name that reflects the contribution of novelist Edgar Rice Burroughs, creator of the city’s vine-swinging fictional namesake.

Burroughs moved to the area from Chicago in 1919 and named his 540-acre estate Tarzana Ranch, after the ape-man protagonist of his 1914 novel, “Tarzan of the Apes.”

“We’re looking for something that’s creative, catchy and is in good taste,” said Marianne Giblin of the Tarzana Improvement Assn., the nonprofit organization that manages the business district. “They’ve got a lot of upscale communities around here, so they don’t want to make it sound like a theme park. They want to make it sound like a downtown that capitalizes on its unique history.”

The naming contest comes as the city proceeds with a face-lift of the downtown shopping district. The project has a jungle theme, and includes plans for small sylvan parks, as well as metal silhouettes of monkeys and other creatures that will hang from street lights.

Entries are open to all--multiple entries are encouraged--and must be received by Oct. 15. They may be mailed to Tarzana Improvement Assn., 18653 Ventura Blvd., PMB 323, Tarzana 91356. They also can be faxed to (818) 776-0134.

The winner, to be announced by Nov. 1, will receive a $200 gift certificate good at any participating retailer downtown and an engraved brick on one of the new walkways.